Traveling on Extension Letter?

[Moe428 129]

1 hour ago, Meech said:

People at Denver airport (Delta) seem to not know about the letter. 3 employees were absolutely baffled by it and I had to go through an extensive search until they cleared me 😄  

This was for domestic travel too. Just a heads up 

If you are able to check in online you don't need to go to the airline counter, unless you are dropping checked bags.

[Southern_Belle07 146]

2 hours ago, Meech said:

My gc is the only currently valid id I have. 

Get a state ID asap. It will lessen the hassle when traveling domestic. Go to DMV or DDS.

[Carpe Vinum 2,327]

On 3/29/2022 at 4:17 PM, Southern_Belle07 said:

Get a state ID asap. It will lessen the hassle when traveling domestic. Go to DMV or DDS.

This...My wife's Green Card rarely leaves her top secret "Alien Documents" vault.))) For some reason she loves to refer to herself as an alien.

[Southern_Belle07 146]

1 hour ago, Carpe Vinum said:

This...My wife's Green Card rarely leaves her top secret "Alien Documents" vault.))) For some reason she loves to refer to herself as an alien.

I discovered a long time ago that green cards allows government employees to ask more questions but if you have a state ID or driver's license it's not that difficult. Especially traveling from state to state. I guess state IDs tell them that your identity have been verified if you already got one, hence lesser questions. 

[US_VJ 59]

Hi Guys, 

 

I am one of those countries that would require a visa to visit mexico. I understand that US Green card holders don't need a visa. I have a 24 month extension and my expired green card. Has anyone used that to enter Mexico visa free. I know I can use that to enter the US; but I'm asking if someone has used the I797+expired green card to enter mexico without a visa. 

Edited April 5, 2022 by SS_SS

[Mike E 11,741]

5 hours ago, SS_SS said:

Hi Guys, 

 

I am one of those countries that would require a visa to visit mexico. I understand that US Green card holders don't need a visa. I have a 24 month extension and my expired green card. Has anyone used that to enter Mexico visa free. I know I can use that to enter the US; but I'm asking if someone has used the I797+expired green card to enter mexico without a visa. 

Yes.  Twice now in 2022.  And more to come.  
 

 

 

[IndigoFlowers 130]

Posting my experience in case anyone is curious about travelling with your extension letter on a cruise!

 

Cruise Line: Royal Caribbean

Departed from Port Canaveral, FL

Destination: Bahamas

Dates April 8-11, 2022

 

For the initial online check-in, I used my Canadian passport as my ID. When I arrived at the port, a worker standing with an iPad checked my Canadian passport,  and asked if I lived in Canada or the USA. I replied that I live in the USA and they immediately asked for my green card and sent me to another desk to get assisted there. I noticed all green card holders were getting sent to the desks to get processed, regardless if they their cards were expired or not. At this desk they scanned my Canadian passport and my green card. Since my green card is expired, I handed them my extension letter. The employee just had to show his supervisor the letter and she told him to edit the expiration of my green card in their system to 24 months out according to the extension letter. Very easy and quick, they knew exactly what to do. 

 

Arrival back to the USA was a breeze as we just had to walk through a facial recognition system that verified who you were based on your previous biometrics/info/passport that they have in their system. No talking to any customs agents or having to show my extension letter. 

[AffableAndy 107]

We just got back from a trip to India, and the extension letter caused absolutely no issues at all. I was a bit nervous about being asked questions as we are a same-sex couple but the airlines staff and immigration officers did not bat an eyelid. That part of the journey went very smoothly. 

[Southern_Belle07 146]

1 hour ago, AffableAndy said:

We just got back from a trip to India, and the extension letter caused absolutely no issues at all. I was a bit nervous about being asked questions as we are a same-sex couple but the airlines staff and immigration officers did not bat an eyelid. That part of the journey went very smoothly. 

That's great! They didn't bring you to the "room?"

[AffableAndy 107]

Did you mean secondary? Nope! I came straight through, it took like a minute for us both to get through both US immigration and Indian emigration.

[Mike E 11,741]

 

[US_VJ 59]

On 4/5/2022 at 1:45 PM, SS_SS said:

Hi Guys, 

 

I am one of those countries that would require a visa to visit mexico. I understand that US Green card holders don't need a visa. I have a 24 month extension and my expired green card. Has anyone used that to enter Mexico visa free. I know I can use that to enter the US; but I'm asking if someone has used the I797+expired green card to enter mexico without a visa. 

Hi all providing a quick update after my trip

 

Sharing my experience just in case anyone is looking for this info.

I had zero problems. United Airlines checked me in without any problems, and when I landed in Mexico, they asked for my extension letter after realizing my GC had expired. 

Different Mexican consulate generals in different US cities had very conflicting information—including the one in NYC saying that the extension letter is not accepted. This is clearly incorrect. 

 

I followed the Mexican Embassy in Washington DC’s link, which redirects to the the actual Mexican governments regulation. It states that anyone with valid proof of permanent residency in the US needs no visa. Nothing more than that. Just to reiterate, Mexican immigration officials knew exactly what it was—didn’t even bat an eye— and I had zero problems getting inside MX (I went to Mexico City Airport)

[Colorred 30]

Sharing my recent international travel experience with the extension letter.

 

I flew to Bahamas on Delta Airlines and returned on American Airlines no issues.

Dates: May 3-9, 2022

Airport: Nassau

 

Departure checkin I used my Zimbabwean passport and required Bahamas travel health visa. Had to show return flight info since it was different airline. 

Arrival to Bahamas: handed immigration officer my passport, he asked if I live in the US and asked for my green card.

I handed it to him and immediately explain to him that it was expired but I have the extension letter which I handed to him after the explanation. I notified him I had the related name change documents if he needed them, he politely declined.

 

[Name change document - I changed my name by court order so doesn’t match my GC but reflects on my 18month Extension letter.

Marriage certificate- name on marriage certificate matches passport name and explains my married last name on my expired GC]

 

The IO took a bit of a while to process the extension letter, he seemed to debate if he should just enter a new expiration date on the GC or what. So he asked me and I responded extension period was additional 18months since expiration date as stated on the letter. 

He nodded, logged some information,

stamped my passport and we were all good.

 

Returning to US: American Airlines checkin went ok. Then immigration check also was standard for me. 

Gave the IO my passport, GC and extension letter immediately. 

Again explained I had the related name change documents if he needed them, he politely declined.

The IO was super friendly and chattier than any others I’ve interacted with before. 

He told me I’d needed secondary inspection and invited my husband to join me if he liked. (First time I’ve had my husband with me for this typically daunting part of my immigration checks)

 We were led to an office on the side, the vibe wasn’t as tense as JFK secondary inspection room (in any of y’all been in there…story for another time :)).

Several officers were at their workstations and all greeted us  🤯The initial IO handed over my documents to a new IO. We were sat about 5-10mins no one talked to us. Then the initial IO came back to get us handed us my documents. Gave us recommendations for things to check out on our next visit back. And we were on our way back home.

Arrived in US, no talking to customs or immigration just walked out of airport like a casual domestic flight. 👍

 

Overall, all was pretty chill.  already planning our next vacation, want to get a few more uses out if this extension letter if they going make us wait this long for ROC approval.

[Lightbird 17]

Heya all. Anyone has encountered any problems when traveling to Europe and back?

Planning my trip to go see my family after 2 years and there is still some stress on the back of my mind 😀

[Lil bear 4,259]

On 4/4/2022 at 9:38 AM, Southern_Belle07 said:

I discovered a long time ago that green cards allows government employees to ask more questions but if you have a state ID or driver's license it's not that difficult. Especially traveling from state to state. I guess state IDs tell them that your identity have been verified if you already got one, hence lesser questions. 

Yes i discovered this years ago during our first period as LPRs. Presented my GC as ID to renew my IL drivers licence .. agent looked at it .. looked at me.. and asked “Do you have anything else you can use ?”  I cant remember what I ended up using, but she explained that the presentation of a GC  triggered a long arduous  process best avoided if possible. Im pretty certain we agreed I should leave without renewing and return another time and not present the GC. Second attempt  half an hr later , as discussed,  was beautifully simple !